We will outline these schemes, their benefits and challenges, drawing attention to the myriad modes of support that peer supported learning can provide for researchers. In doing so, this session will share how universities can holistically assist researchers both in their career development through for example, developing researchers’ skills needed in both academia and industry alongside personal support and how developmental communities can best support researchers. We anticipate that drawing on a range of approaches and disciplines will facilitate lively discussion, offering delegates an important opportunity to share their experience of similar schemes and discuss the relevance of the approach to their own subject disciplines.

List of topics covered:

An overview of current peer supported learning approaches utilised at different HEIs;

Details of the aims, challenges and successes of each approach;

An understanding of contrasting peer supported learning approaches including research mentoring, utilising the cohort and experiential training opportunities;

Facilitated discussion sharing and evaluating other models of implementation that currently exist.

Workshop outcomes:Participants will have:

An understanding of the fundamental requirements for peer supported development initiatives and novel ways that these have been put into practice;

A greater awareness of the advantages and challenges of scope and implementation with these approaches;

A chance to discuss a variety of implementation models used by different HEIs in researcher development programmes;

An opportunity to create a network of engaged staff who can support each

other and collaborate to implement initiatives in their own universities.

Format: Three 15 minute presentations and facilitated group discussionThe workshop will address the following conference theme: New approaches toenabling researchers to reach their potential and make powerful career choiceste ‘interactive’ workshop addressing area of practice in researcher